Qld man shot by police remains in hospital

A southeast Queensland man shot in the shoulder by police remains in a serious condition in hospital.

The 72-year-old, a reported Vietnam War veteran with mental health issues, was taken to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital after he allegedly came at police with knives outside a Woodridge property on Sunday.

Police Union secretary Mick Barnes said the officer who shot the man had 15 years' experience and was a firearms training officer.

Mr Barnes said the officer was forced to use his gun to protect police, the man's family and ambulance officers.

"Police had to defend themselves and others in the execution of their duty," he told ABC Radio on Monday.

Mr Barnes said it was unfortunate the man was wounded, but the outcome could have been entirely different if officers had chosen a different level of force.

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But Queensland Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman said the investigation should be overseen by the state's Crime and Corruption Commission.

"It just cannot, in terms of public perception of the outcome, be left to the police investigating police behind closed doors," he told AAP on Monday.

Mr O'Gorman said every time an officer used a gun it contributed to a culture where using a firearm was acceptable.

"We aren't being critical but rather what we are saying is there have been lessons learn over a period of years from police killings in this state," he said.

"It's important those lessons continue to be re-learnt every time there is a situation where an officer is pulling a gun."

Coronial inquests provided a "degree of independent oversight" when a person died from a shooting, so something similar was needed when someone was injured, he said.

Questions needed to be asked about why a gun rather than a taser was used and why the police service's mental health team were reportedly not called, Mr O'Gorman also said.

"It's long been the policy that when police are called out to a disturbance and there are threats of violence and it is apparent that mental health issues are involved, that a mental health team accompanies police," he said.

Police could not confirm if the shooting was caught on officers' body cameras, but it is standard practice for the technology to be activated before responding to events.